Isabeau Levito: “We intentionally created a program that resembles last year’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s. We chose a piece associated with Sophia Loren: she’s an iconic Italian diva, and after all, the Olympics will be held in Milan.”
Isabeau Levito on Changes in Her Skating and Her Love for the Grand Prix de France original source: Sports by Maya [...]
Ami Nakai: “I want to perform the perfect triple axel. My inspiration for this is Wakaba Higuchi’s triple axel it’s the standard I strive for.”
Ami Nakai Surprised by Her Short Program Score at the Grand Prix de France original source: Sports by Maya [...]
Loena Hendrickx: “Here’s a little spoiler: my short program will be different because we’ve changed the music. It will be a surprise for the next competition.”
Loena Hendrickx Confirms NHK Trophy Appearance Following Olympic Qualification original source: dhnet.be dd. [...]
Nina Pinzarrone: “This season is unique, as we are focusing primarily on the second half with the Europeans, Olympics, and Worlds. This decision allows me to avoid putting too much pressure on myself and gives me the chance to fully recover.”
Nina Pinzarrone to Skip Grand Prix Events Ahead of the Winter Olympics original source: Sporza dd. October 17th [...]
Kaori Sakamoto: “Yes, I want gold. I want gold so badly. I already have silver and bronze, so I need gold. I thought, ‘Losing is this frustrating? I never want to lose again.’ I want to win. I hate losing.”
The Road to Gold: Kaori Sakamoto's Final Olympic Journey Begins original source: news.yahoo.co.jp dd. October 17th, [...]
“They imposed extremely strict rules. We knew the single was released in 1989, but we thought we had some flexibility since the ISU allows modern remixes, covers, and adaptations of music.” Guillaume Cizeron on changing their RD
Guillaume Cizeron and Laurence Fournier Beaudry are debuting their new routine at the Grand Prix de [...]
Luka Berulava: “I’ve always dreamed of Georgia hosting a major event. I’ve never prepared for any competition the way I did for this one. I practically lived at the gym – honestly, it felt like I was getting ready for a wedding, I swear.”
Metelkina and Berulava on the Thrill of Competing in Their Home Country original source: Sports by Maya [...]
Sofia Muravieva: “What drew me most to Mishin was the fact that he has developed so many renowned skaters who had long-lasting careers. I’ve always dreamed of exactly that – a long, successful, bright, and unforgettable career in figure skating.”
Sofia Muravieva on Moving to St. Petersburg and Training with Alexei Mishin original source: TASS dd. October 7th [...]
“We are incredibly grateful to Benoit for his amazing work. Skating this program brings us so much joy – we even feel completely different while performing it.” Kaganovskaya and Nekrasov on working with Benoit Richaud
Vasilisa Kaganovskaya and Maxim Nekrasov Discuss Working with Benoit Richaud original source: MatchTV [...]
Tatiana Tarasova: “We’ve seen other skaters return to the ice, even after giving birth, so there shouldn’t be any issues. I believe Valieva will already be competing next year.”
Tatiana Tarasova Believes Kamila Valieva Can Return to Her Pre-Suspension Level original source: Vse pro [...]
Sofia Samodelkina: “Every hour spent working with Shae-Lynn Bourne felt like an incredible gift from fate.”
Sofia Samodelkina on working with Shae-Lynn Bourne. original source: RT dd. October 9th by Elena [...]
Evgenia Medvedeva: “The absence of a flag and anthem is extremely demoralizing. It becomes mentally harder to compete because you feel a certain pressure that shouldn’t even be there.”
Evgenia Medvedeva: "Competing Under a Neutral Status Is Harder Than Competing with a Flag" original source: [...]
“As long as there’s no physical aggression or anything extreme, it’s normal. This kind of thing happens in every skating pair.” Averbukh, Yagudin, Scoptsova, Medvedeva on Shibutani’s leaked video
Russian Skaters Discuss the Shibutani Siblings’ Training Controversy original source: Sports View this [...]
“Sometimes I felt like Ilia could fly like a butterfly and do something extraordinary in mid-air at any moment.” Sofia Samodelkina on Ilia Malinin
Sofia Samodelkina on training with Ilia Malinin. original source: RT dd. October 9th by Elena Vaitsekhovskaya [...]
Gleb Smolkin: “I’m not a huge fan of this year’s rhythm dance theme. I’m a bit old-school in my thinking; I believe we should skate to tango, waltz, and other classic styles too.”
"Preparing for Long-Term Performance": Diana Davis and Gleb Smolkin on Their Marathon Competition Schedule original [...]
Nika Egadze: “I’ve always dreamed of skating to Georgian music at the Olympics – it’s important to me that more people learn about Georgia.”
Nika Egadze Reflects on His Performance at the Trialeti Trophy original source: Sports by Maya Bagriantseva [...]
Mao Asada: “For the next chapter of my life, as always, I will give 130% effort. Results take time, so I want to focus on the long-term and do everything I can to support my students in achieving their goals and dreams.”
"130% Effort Every Day": Mao Asada Begins New Chapter as a Full-Time Coach original source: Nikkansports, October [...]
“When they pulled him out and showed to me, I was lying there thinking, ‘Oh my God, what is this?’ He was all blue and swollen. I was happy, of course, but he didn’t look very cute at all.” Alena Kostornaia on becoming a mother
Alena Kostornaia: On Becoming a Mother and the Birth Experience original source: Voice / TASS View this [...]
Sofia Samodelkina: “I feel I have enough strength to do both triple axel and quad. But physics doesn’t lie. No matter how strong an athlete is, the heavier their body becomes, the more dangerous complex elements can get.”
"Adolescence Is Tough, But I Keep Pushing Forward": Sofia Samodelkina on Growing as a Skater, Recovery, Technique, and [...]
Kaori Sakamoto: “I finished second at Worlds which was frustrating, but it reignited the “chasing” mindset I had at the beginning of my career. In that sense, this was an invaluable experience.”
"Step-by-Step, But with Dynamic Jumps": Kaori Sakamoto on Her Skating Career and Mindset original source: [...]
“Honestly, if I had kept Alena by the throat, we wouldn’t have made it through the first season together.” Sergei Roslyakov on working with Kostornaia and Kunitsa
Sergei Roslyakov: "Kostornaia and Kunitsa Haven’t Finished Telling Their Story" original source: RT dd. October [...]
Yuma Kagiyama: “At the start of the season, I decided to prioritize program quality over difficulty. From my experiences so far, I’ve learned that the best way to achieve goals and dreams is to move forward steadily, one step at a time.”
"Step-by-Step": Yuma Kagiyama Reflects on His Journey and Prepares for the Grand Prix Series original source: [...]
Meagan Duhamel: “I think allowing Russian skaters to participate was the right decision. The ISU developed solid criteria, and they created a precedent by sticking to it. They chose Russian athletes who met the criteria, and I believe it was fair.”
Meagan Duhamel Reflects on Russian Skaters’ Role in International Figure Skating original source: RSport / Vse [...]
Anastasiia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov: “We decided to keep La Traviata even after realizing we wouldn’t be going to the Olympics. The music is festive, even though we’re excluded from competitions, we’re still celebrating – we’re still skating.”
Anastasiia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov Discuss Recovery, Performance, and Missing the Olympics original source: [...]